This invention relates to a fluid distribution cut-off apparatus and particularly to such apparatus for operatively disconnecting a utility distribution line from the consumer.
In the distribution of natural gas, water and the like, public or privately owned utilities provide a distribution system from a central source or supply to the several consumers. The distribution system includes main distribution lines, usually buried in the street or along the lot lines, and connected to each of the individual consumers by an individual connecting lateral line. A metering unit is universally connected to the individual's lateral line, immediately at the building connection. A cut-off valve is conventionally provided adjacent the meter connections. This permits closing and shut-off of the supply from the distribution system to the consumer for service and the like. Although the present invention can be applied to any kind of utility distribution system or the like, it has been developed in connection with, and is therefore described in connection with a natural gas distribution system.
The shut-off valve structures are generally provided with a locking unit which permits the utility to lock the valve in the closed position. Thus, if the consumer terminates service or fails to make proper payments for gas usage, the utility may lock the valve in the closed position until new service is again demanded or proper payment has been made.
However, significant problems have been encountered with the delinquent paying consumers who break a locked valve and open the valve with continued but unauthorized consumption of gas. The economic loss associated with such unauthorized usage is significant. The loss is particularly significant during economic recessions and the like when it may be practically impossible to recover from such unauthorized users.
In addition to a lock device, it has been suggested at least in publication if not in commercial practice, that certain internal mechanisms requiring special tooling be used to provide a cut-off of the gas supply. For example, the old U.S. Pat. No. 1,850,040 (which issued Mar. 15, 1932) discloses an internal cut-off device for preventing the theft of gas. In that device, the utility would insert an expandible plug into the T-connection of the consumer's supply pipe within the consumer house or other building structure. An expandable plug is specially constructed to be inserted within the stem portion of the T-shaped connection. A threaded actuating rod extends through the plug and a threaded washer on the inner face into abutment with the cross-piping of the T-shaped coupler. Turning of the threaded rod in one direction expands the plug member to fill the pipe and thereby seal off the connection. A reverse threading or rotation of the threaded rod results in a collapse of the plug to permit ready removal. In order to prevent unauthorized tampering and release of the plug, a special tool is provided. In particular, the operating end of the rod is specially constructed to require insertion of a special coupling tool. Such suggestion, however, assumes that the consumer will not be able to circumvent such internal specially constructed apparatus. Thus, generally a utility will not want to have a great number of different actuators and will settle on a single standardize construction. This makes it rather readily convenient for the unauthorized users to obtain a special coupling device, particularly a large volume consumer. In summary, such systems do not anticipate the resourcefulness of the consumer in providing the necessary tooling for a standardized cut-off apparatus or system.
Recognizing that it is probably practically impossible to devise any cut-off device which can be replaced or released by the utility which cannot also be circumvented, there is therefore still a significant demand and need for a simple reliable cut-off device which can minimize the probability of circumvention by the cut-off consumer. The prior art devices have not provided a particularly satisfactory solution.